Thunder
by The Echoing Ache
Summary: A crippling fear of thunder may threaten their relationship. DG


Disclaimer: I lay no claim to Draco and Ginny, or any other Harry Potter reference made. They belong to JK Rowling, who remains fabulous, despite the events of Deathly Hallows.

Author's Note: This is a rewrite of a story I wrote a while back, which you may have seen on Team Graecisso. It's now greatly improved for your enjoyment. Thanks for reading! Please review.

···

The thunder rumbles in the distance, and the blond boy cringes in his sleep, whimpering as he pulls the small girl in bed next to him to his chest. Rain pounding down on the roof, the war drum cry of thunder grows louder and he whimpers again, his vice-like grip on her tightening.

"Draco..." she calls softly. "Draco, love, wake up." She presses a tiny hand to his cheek.

"What's wrong?" he asks, sleep and worry tainting his voice. "Did something happen, Gin?"

"No, love, it's just storming," she sighs, sitting up. "Why won't you tell me why you're so scared of thunder?"

Draco's features harden, every trace of sleep leaving him as his eyes deepen to a stormy grey. "I am **not** scared of thunder."

"Then come outside with me." He struggles not to wince at the suggestion. "Please?" she pleads. For Ginny Weasley, after all, summertime storms hold the fondest childhood memories.

"F-fine." He fails to control the fear-induced stutter, and barely manages to suppress a tremble when the thunder crashes again.

"Thank you." She smiles softly, comfortingly, and the gesture reminds him that he loves her, motivates him to climb out of bed.

Slowly, they make their way out of the house, his hand clasped tightly in hers, and he secretly prides himself on having not run back to bed every time the storm announces itself with a loud shock of thunder.

Just outside the door, she pushes up on her toes to kiss him softly before running out into the rain. "Ginevra, what are you doing?" he cries, trying to mask the anxiety that laces his voice.

"Come dance with me!" The ragged old t-shirt she sleeps in clings to her small body as she twirls around, arms outstretched and face turned up to welcome every raindrop. He flinches as lightning flashes, illuminating the sky as bright as daytime for a moment.

"Oh, Draco," she sighs, arms dropping to her sides as she watches him, hesitantly taking a step forward. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Ginny," he whimpers, his whole body trembling. Closing the distance between them, she wraps her arms around him.

"It's okay... Just don't think about it," she coos in his ear. He struggles not to drop to his knees, instead collapsing against her, his body shaking as he sobs. "Hush..." she murmurs, slowly pulling him down to sit on the ground.

He gasps and pulls his knees up as the thunder rolls once more. She cradles his large frame to her chest as best as she can, her lips pressed neat his ear, murmuring his name over and over soothingly.

"Oh..." she sighs as he pulls away, her eyes filled with pity as they take in the sight of his tear-streaked face. She reaches out to stroke his cheek softly, but he pushes her away, a crack echoing as loud as the thunder when he swings an open hand at her and makes contact with her face.

"Don't look at me like that!" he yells, his voice booming. "I don't need your pity!"

She gasps, reaching up to press her fingers to the red handprint on her cheek. "Draco... Please..."

At the sound of her voice, the scowl drops from his face. "Ginny? Fuck... I'm so sorry, Gin..." Slowly, he cups her chin in his hand, his thumb making slow circles on her reddened cheek.

"How did this happen to you?" she murmurs.

"Ginny, please..."

"No, Draco." She pulls away from him sharply. "You hit me. Don't you see what it does to you? I just want to help. I love you. I want to try and make it better. But you **hit** me. I think I deserve to know now. Why do you insist on taking care of me, but not letting me do the same for you?"

He sighs heavily, pulling her into his lap to cradle her against his chest. "It's my earliest memory. You see, I was three..."

···

The small blond boy wanders through a house much too large for it's only three inhabitants, a fuzzy green blanket wrapped around him and a big teddy bear clutched to his chest. "Mummy?" he calls in a tiny voice when lightning flashes and thunder booms ominously.

He sighs in relief when he reaches the end of the hallway and struggles to push the heavy door open. He hesitates for a moment, and then cries out once more, "Mummy?"

"Draco?" He jumps a bit at the sound of Narcissa Malfoy's voice and runs to stand near the place she lays. Leaning over the edge of the bed, she pulls him up next to her. She sighs, softly stroking his cheek as she murmurs, "What's wrong?"

"It's scary, Mummy..." he whimpers.

Suddenly, the sneering face of Lucius Malfoy looms above him. "Does the thunder scare you, Draco?" he growls. Though his father's voice shocks him, young Draco nods.

"Well, come here, then." Lucius stretches his arms out for his son and his suddenly cheery tone fools the small boy into crawling to him.

"Lucius?" Narcissa calls as her husband climbs out of bed and strides from the room with their young son cradled against his broad chest.

"Hush, Cissy," Lucius sighs. "The boy will be fine." He pauses to close the bedroom door behind him, and then stalks through room after room until he reaches the front door. Almost violently, he pulls it open and unceremoniously dumps his only child outside.

He bends down to make eye contact with Draco and hisses, "I will not tolerate your weaknesses, son. Never let them show again."

When he finds the door slammed in his face, the child begins to scream and cry, pleading for someone to save him.

···

"...after and hour or so, I just curled up and waited. A house elf let me in once morning came. My father told my mother that he put me to bed, and made sure I was back inside and cleaned up before she woke. I don't think she ever knew the truth. She loved me, my mother. But Lucius... Well..."

Ginny stares up at him in horror. "How... How could anyone do that to a child? Oh, Draco..." she sighs. "I'm so sorry."

"You know, Gin... I think it's okay." He smiles down at her as thunder grumbles in the distance.

"It's... Okay?" Utter confusion falls on her face.

"Yes, Ginny. Everything's okay."

He lifts her in his arms as he stands and steps out from under the cover of the porch. With his girlfriend cradled to his chest, her twirls around in the grass, his face turned up to welcome every raindrop. He laughs, and its echo rivals the distant crashing of thunder.


End file.
